Floater Teacher Assistant​/Kitchen Assistant

Summary

Floater Teacher Assistant/Kitchen Assistant helps to create and maintain an atmosphere in the classroom in which children feel welcome, valued, comfortable and secure. The Floater Teacher Assistant/Kitchen Assistant is responsible for food preparation and delivery, washing dishes, cleaning, and storing, and meeting CACFP requirements. The Floater Teacher Assistant will help the program day‑to‑day operations run smoothly by providing classroom teachers with breaks, coverage for meetings, assisting with beginning and end of the day cleaning, providing childcare for late afternoon and evening family meetings and events, substituting in the classroom, and helping with preparation for the next day.

Major Responsibilities:

The Floater Teacher Assistant/Kitchen Assistant cooperates with the teachers and/or manager to ensure that day‑to‑day operations within the full‑day program run smoothly. The Floater will ensure this by providing teachers with breaks, covering for meetings, riding the bus when needed, replenishing food for the classrooms at meal times, assisting with beginning and end of the day cleaning, and substituting in the classroom when needed.

As directed by the teacher, co‑teacher and/or manager, the Floater will supervise children’s play activities, help children to participate in individual activities, small, and large group activities, observe and report child’s behavior to the teacher, and work with each individual teaching team to ensure that he/she is providing the most appropriate support to the classrooms.

The Floater Teacher Assistant will be responsible for cleaning the classroom and kitchen areas as scheduled or as directed by the teacher, and at the end of each day. End‑of‑day responsibilities include sweeping the floors, bagging all trash, checking that lights are off, windows are closed, and doors are locked. Daily duties may also include playground health and safety checklists, minor upkeep, kitchen duties—formula, meal or snack preparation or clean‑up, kitchen dishes and cleanup, and paperwork following CCFAP and CDD regulation standards;

tidying and organizing common areas, and preparation and care of materials and equipment.

Must ensure compliance with the Office of Head Start and Child Care Licensing Regulations for paperwork standards; maintain the Bright Futures Quality Credential Account; assist teachers and co‑teachers with case notes and child observations, entered into electronic child and family record systems; ensure children are signed in and out of the program in classrooms worked daily and following program procedures; and ensure CACFP paperwork requirements are met.

Documents daily temperatures of the kitchen and classroom refrigerators and freezers.

Assists with preparing food for program or family events, workshops, meetings, and others as assigned, ensuring CACFP requirements, including paperwork, are met.

In addition to the above, performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum:
High School Diploma or Equivalent, and agrees to complete one early childhood or related course within the first year of employment.

Preferred:
Per OHS requirement, must hold a valid Child Development Associate (CDA) or Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education (AA) or be enrolled in a program leading to a CDA or AA within 2 years of employment start date.

License

Required:

Valid Driver’s License.

United Children’s Services of Bennington County/ Bennington County Head Start—Early Head Start operates 5

STAR sites in North Bennington, Bennington, and Pownal VT, serving children ages 6 weeks‑5 years and their families with comprehensive early childhood education. Our programs make up the Early Childhood Services Division of our grantee agency, United Counseling Services. We are proud to announce that UCS has been selected as the Best Place to Work and the Best Community Service Organization for the 2020 Readers Choice award!

An established leader and provider of health and human services in Southern Vermont, United Counseling Service provides nearly 3,000 people each year with a broad range of mental health, developmental and children’s services along with early childhood education. Approximately 300 employees are making a positive difference at 16 facilities operating throughout Bennington County. Our employees are creative, thoughtful, energetic, forward‑thinking and empowered.

UCS is living its mission:
Building a stronger community by empowering individuals to live healthy and meaningful lives. If you want to make a difference and help those who need it most, consider joining our team. UCS is a great place to work and a great place to get care.

UCS is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.